VISTA Workforce Optimization

Between a tightening labor market and an aging population, it may seem like there are not enough clinicians to go around. In addition, labor costs now account for 60% of an average hospital's total budget, highlighting the need to control labor expenses. But for many hospital administrators, a reduction in total labor costs can seem like an insurmountable feat. And with many hospitals lacking standardized labor cost data, many hospital administrators are unable to pinpoint the exact reasons why they are overspending.

The growing physician shortage has a significant impact on healthcare staffing, creating challenges for medical organizations. More specifically, it’s making it difficult for them to recruit and retain quality physicians to provide proper care to patients.

One of the most challenging tasks hospitals and other healthcare organizations face is staff management. Proper staffing is essential to ensure that the hospital operates smoothly and that all patients have a positive experience. However, because staffing can be so complex and involves so many diverse challenges, many organizations struggle to find an efficient and effective way to manage contingency staff, provide continuity of care, maintain a positive patient experience and drive bottom-line growth. This article, discuss two types of staffing technologies that can help with these tasks: VMS and MSP. Most healthcare organizations will find that one or both of these solutions reduce problems with contingency staff management.

Healthcare organizations face a variety of staffing challenges. As a result of an ongoing physician shortage, the market for the best talent has become increasingly more competitive. Other staffing challenges include difficulty in filling job vacancies, expansions, and mergers. Staffing challenges may impact healthcare systems in many different ways, leading to lost revenue, a higher workload for existing staff members, poor patient experiences, and more. Below are some strategies that hospitals and other healthcare facilities can use to overcome staffing challenges and boost profitability.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the cost of qualified clinicians rose by $24 billion for healthcare organizations. In addition, clinical labor costs increased by 8% per patient, leading to a 52% increase in overtime.  

Social media recruiting has become an essential element of attracting new talent to job openings. Amid a 15-year high on talent shortages (69% of companies report talent shortages), social media has become a preferred method for employers and job seekers alike. For example, 81% of job seekers prefer to see and apply for job posts on Facebook, and 58% of recruiters found it best to use social media in hiring new job candidates. 

The Maine Hospital Association (MHA) is the primary advocate for community-governed hospitals located in the state with the Maine State Legislature, the U.S. Congress, and federal and state regulatory agencies. Based in Augusta, Maine, MHA formed a partnership with VISTA in 2004 to find a solution to hospital staffing shortages.

We spoke with Tamara Butts, MHA Director of Business Development and Administration, to talk about the organization and its partnership with VISTA.

Hospitals have experienced challenges that are unprecedented in the scope of modern healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. The global health crisis was exacerbated by unexpected costs and difficulties finding the staff necessary to care for many patients needing immediate attention. During the unprecedented situation, the New Hampshire Hospital Association (NHHA) helped all 31 of their member hospitals ensure that they had all the resources and staff they needed to provide the care their patients deserve.

Recent EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) guidance permits hospitals to require or incentivize staff members to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Healthcare administrators who have experienced pushback from employees unwilling to comply with a proposed mandate are now faced with the challenge of how to impose it. With the Food and Drug Administration's full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on August 23, 2021, the argument some medical staff members have used, citing a rushed process, has lost its validity. Health departments of a few states, like New York, have even announced that religious exemptions would not be an available alternative to vaccination.

2021 National Locum Tenens Week happens August 9 through August 13. Led by the National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations (NALTO), this year's agenda also celebrates NALTO's 20 years of operation.